La Cage aux Folles

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

La Cage aux Folles

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  3w, 7m plus ensemble

Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play by Jean Poiret

This crowd-pleasing, rollicking and heartwarming musical about family, commitment, show biz and drag remains one of musical theatre's all-time biggest hits.


Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 7m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Romantic Comedy
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Six 1984 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book
    Winner! Three 1984 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Music
    Winner! 1984 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding New Broadway Musical
    Winner! Two 2005 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical
    Winner! Two 2005 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical
    Winner! 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
    Winner! Three 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical
    Winner! Three 2005 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical
    Winner! 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
La Cage aux Folles

Details

Summary

Much revived, most recently in a 2010 production transferred to Broadway from London’s Menier Chocolate Factory, La Cage Aux Folles remains one of musical theatre’s all-time biggest hits, adding new dimension to the boulevard comedy. After 20 years of partnered bliss, Georges and Albin, two men partnered for better or worse, get a bit of both when Georges’ son (fathered during a one-night fling) announces his impending marriage to the daughter of a bigoted, right-wing politician. Further complicating the situation is the “family business”: Albin and Georges run a drag nightclub in St. Tropez, where Albin is the star performer, “Zaza.” Georges reluctantly agrees to masquerade as “normal” when he meets the family of the bride-to-be. But Albin has other plans, with hilarious results.

History
La Cage aux Folles premiered on Broadway at The Palace Theatre on 21 August 1983. Directed by Arthur Laurents, the original production starred Gene Barry and George Hearn. The musical returned to Broadway in two revivals: first in 2004, starring Gary Beach and Daniel Davis; and again in 2009, starring Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge. All three productions earned the Tony Award for either Best Musical or Best Revival of a Musical.

ALBIN/ZAZA: Male 45-55 (Range: Baritone, A#2-G4)
A performer of star quality; mature; great powerhouse of a Broadway voice; fine comic actor

GEORGES: Male, 50’s (Range: G2-F4)
A star; mature and attractive; good singer; energetic, loving and caring; must move well

JEAN-MICHEL: Male, 20 (Range: Baritone, A#2-G4)
Handsome; masculine, well-mannered, educated; desperately in love with his fiancee, Anne; acts, sings, and moves well

JACOB: Male, Early 20’s (Range: Bb2-Ab4)
Black male butler/maid; brilliant comedian who sings and moves well

ANNE: Female, 18-21 (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Jean-Michel's fiancee; lovely to look at; spunky; a superb dancer who acts well

EDOUARD DINDON: Male, Early 50’s (Range:Bb2-Eb4)
Anne's father; right-wing radical politician; pompous; quirky; must sing, move well, and be a fine comedian

MARIE DINDON: Female, Late 40’s (Range: F4-A5)
Anne's mother; 48-52, shy, retiring, sexually repressed and sex-starved; good singer and actress who moves well; must look great in a leotard for the finale

JACQUELINE: Female, Middle Age (Range: B3-F5)
Mature, female friend of Georges and Albin; owns a chic restaurant; attractive, charming; very theatrical; not necessarily a singer

RENAUD: Male, Middle Age (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Mature, male friend of Georges and Albin; owns a small cafe; understudies both of the 2 leads

FRANCIS: Male, 40’s (Range: Ensemble, Part Flexible)
Male stage manager in Georges' club; strong actor/dancer

THE LES CAGELLES (Range: Ensemble, Parts Flexible)
Chantal, Monique, Dermah, Nicole, Hanna, Mercedes, Bitelle, Lo Singh, Odette, Angelique, Phaedra, Clo-Clo

TOWNSPEOPLE (Range: Ensemble, Parts Flexible)
Madame Renaud, Paulette, Hercule, Etienne, Babette, Colette, Tabarro, Pepe


Plus a chorus of 10 males and 2 females

  • Time Period 1980s
  • Setting St. Tropez, France. Summer.
  • Features Elaborate/High-Volume Costumes, Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Drag Performance
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“Funny, heartwarming and terrific.” – Variety

“Jerry Herman’s best musical yet – happier, more assertive, more buoyant than Hello Dolly! or Mame.” – The New York Post, Read More

“The schmaltziest, most old fashioned major musical since Annie. Highly enjoyable.” – The New York Times, Read More

“Carry your maiden aunt off to La Cage aux Folles... It’s a family show, a glittering, fast stepping extravaganza.” – New York Daily News, Read More

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Musical Theatre and the LGBTQ+ Audience: An Interview with Patrick Pacheco
by Jim Colleran
20 June 2019

Videos

  • La Cage Aux Folles - 2010 Tony Awards youtube thumbnail

    La Cage Aux Folles - 2010 Tony Awards

  • La Cage Aux Folles - Playbill Highlights youtube thumbnail

    La Cage Aux Folles - Playbill Highlights

  • I Am What I Am - Douglas Hodge youtube thumbnail

    I Am What I Am - Douglas Hodge

Photos

  • La Cage aux Folles

    Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • La Cage aux Folles

    Image: 2010 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. Prologue – Orchestra
2. “We Are What We Are” – Les Cagelles
2a. “Introducing Zaza” – Les Cagelles
2b. Into the Apartment – Orchestra
3. “A Little More Mascara” – Albin & 6 Cagelles
3a. “Mascara (Reprise)” – 6 Cagelles & Zaza
3b. Jean-Michel's Entrance – Orchestra
4. “With Anne on My Arm” – Jean-Michel & Georges
5. “With You on My Arm” – Georges & Albin
5a. New Playoff – Orchestra
7. Promenade – Orchestra
8. “Song on the Sand” – Georges
8a. Sand Playoff – Orchestra
8b. Before La Cage – Orchestra
9. “La Cage aux Folles” – Zaza, Jacqueline, Albin, Francis & Les Cagelles
10. Hanna's Intro – Orchestra
10a. Hanna's Tango – Orchestra
11. “I Am What I Am ” – Albin & Les Cagelles

Act II

12. Entr’acte & Opening Act II – Orchestra
12b. “Song on the Sand (Reprise)” – Georges & Albin
12c. Mountain Build – Orchestra
13. “Masculinity” – Georges, Albin & Townspeople
13a. Masculinity Playoff & Jacob's Cross – Orchestra
14. “Look Over There” – Georges
14c. Presto & Dindon's March – Orchestra
15. “Cocktail Counterpoint (Dishes)” – Georges, Marie, Jean-Michel, Edouard & Jacob
15a. To Jacqueline – Orchestra
16. “The Best of Times” – Zaza, Jecqueline, Patrons & Les Cagelles
16a. Furies Chase – Orchestra
16b. “Look Over There (Reprise)” – Jean-Michel & Georges
16c. “Au Revoir!” – Georges
17. “Finale” – Company
18. Bows – Company
19. Exit Music – Orchestra

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size Medium

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.
    Performance rights for this title are currently withdrawn in the UK. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
20   Vocal Books
1   Keyboard 2-Conductor (rehearsal & performance)

1   Woodwind 1 – Flute, Clarinet & Soprano Saxophone
1   Woodwind 2 – Clarinet, Bass Clarinet & Alto Saxophone 
1   Trumpet
1   Trombone
1   Drums – Drum Kit, Timpani, Triangle, Shaker, Wood Blocks, Gong & Glockenspiel
1   Keyboard 1
1   Double Bass
20   Vocal Books
1   Keyboard 2-Conductor (rehearsal & performance)

Authors

Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein made his professional acting debut at La Mama ETC in 1971 in Andy Warhol's only play, Pork. He followed that with appearances in more than 60 Off-Off-Broadway productions before he began his career as a playwright. Early works like Flatbush Tosca and Cobra Je ...
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Jerry Herman

Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage Aux Folles are home to some of the most popular, most-often performed and most successful musical hero(in)es of all time, and have given Jerry Herman (1931-2019) the distinction of being the only composer/lyricist in history to have had three ...

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Author

Jean Poiret

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